We continue our discussion with the women who know a thing or two about milk and cookies.
How did the two of you meet, and how did the collaboration between you occur?
Shahira Marei and Sally Elgamil: We made a connection at the workplace, we clicked and our relationship grew in time. We do everything together: carpool to work, get work done, have lunch, go back home and live life. We know each other's strength and weaknesses. That made our collaboration almost instant.
]
Hardest lesson you've learned:
S.E.: “Success does not consist of never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.”
S.H.: The hardest lesson I've learned is trying to satisfy everyone; you just can't, and it's ok to say you can't. The more I try to satisfy people, the harder and more complicated things get.
What's your favorite childhood memory?
S.E.: Climbing my grandmother's closet, then jumping head on like a monkey.
S.M.: I always reminisce on the good days playing games with my four sisters. They were my best friends, and all I had back then.
Last song playing on your radio:
S.E.: New Person, Same Old Mistakes by Tame Impala.
What are you doing in your free time?
S.E.: I like to spend some time with my two crazy cats and my dog. We go on walks together or to the beach. (sally)
S.M.: I love to spend my free time with my one-year-old daughter since I'm so busy.
Where did you grow up? If you're not from Orange County, what brought you here?
S.E.: I grew up in Ventura County, I grew up there but a job opportunity led me to be in OC.
S.M.: I grew up in Foothill Ranch, Orange County!
What were you up to five years ago?
S.E.: I was working in Kuwait, going to new places and seeing new things, life was and still is a roller coaster ride, but I learned to go with the flow.
S.M.: Five years ago I was coming up with business ideas that I wanted to open but none of them at the time were a cookie shot shop!
Last book you read or last movie watched; how was it?
S.E.: Last book I read was The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. The Last movie I watched was The Physician.
S.M.: 50 Shades of Grey – I read the book before seeing the movie. The book was great (I'm a big sucker for romance); the movie was horrible!
Last thing you looked up/searched online:
S.E.: How to lose a guy in 10 days (just kidding!). Vegan cookies!
Tell us something most people don't know about you.
S.E.: I like hot spicy food and I cannot lie!
S.M.: I love a good home made bread pudding! I could eat that all day.
What would you be doing if you weren't in this business?
S.E.: I honestly do not know. I always wanted to have my own business and be my own boss, so if I didn't have this business I'd have something that will get me there, to my goal of being independent and establishing my own thing. I just don't know what it could've been.
S.M.: I would be looking for the next business idea to come up with. I've been driven since I was very young to have my own business, and all I did was come up with potential ideas.
Follow Stick a Fork In It on Twitter @ocweeklyfood, Facebook, and Instagram! And don't forget to download our free Best Of App here!
A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.